Bridal Formal from last wedding

Bride wanted the formal session outside, and the weather was not the best. (Windy and cloudy) Opinions? Anything I could do better next time. I am also contemplating paying someone to replace the sky. Would that improve the photo?

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/ZDB4​qo

tim1970 wrote in post #18500826
Bride wanted the formal session outside, and the weather was not the best. (Windy and cloudy) Opinions? Anything I could do better next time. I am also contemplating paying someone to replace the sky. Would that improve the photo?

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/ZDB4​qo Looney-201 by Tim Richardson, on Flickr

I think a sky replacement would enhance the photo. While some clouds are good in the sky, a cloud blanket gives it a moody and dull look, something I don't think you were going for in this photo. Sky replacement is pretty basic photoshop, and maybe you should look up a tutorial and try it yourself. Would be good practice. If you're not happy with your efforts you could always pay a pro to do it after the fact. Just make sure the sky you replace it with is creative commons.

I would darken the bottom of the pict with a gradient and lighten the top portion of the image.

I agree with what the others have said. In addition, next time, move your light a bit farther off camera axis. This will help to created some depth to the image and bring out more detail in the dress. Also, have the bride lower her bouquet a bit. Adding a bit of back light will also help.

Here's a couple examples I shot in low light that might help to explain what I'm talking about

conraderb wrote in post #18511281
Don't replace the sky.

Find a place where the clouds are bright against the dark sky.


Get an off camera flash. Crank it up to match ambient light.


Have it shooting sideways.

Shoot wide so that the bride becomes three dimensional.

Also, get closer or further away, and avoid centered compositions unless everything is perfect. Zoom in or out and go rule-of-thirds.

This was shot on her wedding day. Not much I could do about finding a place where the clouds are bright against the dark sky.

I did use off camera flash. (Isn't that obvious from the image)

I have no idea what you mean by "Have it shooting sideways"

conraderb wrote in post #18511281
Also, get closer or further away, and avoid centered compositions unless everything is perfect. Zoom in or out and go rule-of-thirds.

which is it? Closer or further away?

Why would shooting any wider make her 3 dimensional???

I think you can make a great black and white conversion out of this. Rather than photoshop in a new sky, you might try instead to pull out a lot more detail from the sky you have to make it really quite dramatic. After that, I agree that a applying a gradient filter to lighten the sky would give a better balance.

I've played around a little with a low resolution copy of your photo ... just using Nik Collection, so no great technical challenge ... and come up with something that, for me, has a lot more (B&W) 'pop' than the original and really pulls the bride out from the background.

Tastes differ, of course, and you (or, more importantly, the bride) might not like a monochrome treatment. But I think it really works well.

Sorry for not being clear.

Three dimensional-ity is a result of a more dramatic use of off camera flash, not composition

See Jcolman's second posted image, with the bride by herself. Just my 0.02.

I would not shoot off center for this. With the arbor in the photo, I would make sure to center the ARBOR. The bride, I may put her to the right against the arbor post with her dress flowing to the left. OR place the bride in the very center of the arbor like you have here. maybe experiment with a few different poses in the center. Speaking of centering, I would crop this photo to center the arbor better

tim1970 wrote in post #18500826
Bride wanted the formal session outside, and the weather was not the best. (Windy and cloudy) Opinions? Anything I could do better next time. I am also contemplating paying someone to replace the sky. Would that improve the photo?

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/ZDB4​qo Looney-201 by Tim Richardson, on Flickr

Does she like it? Thats the main thing

Cloudy days are tough, no backlighting, everything is flat. Next time I would go for some off camera flash to give it some dimension. If you have the equipment, one behind her for some backlight, one to the side as main for the shadows, and dial down the background a bit. That's what I would do.

I personally wouldn't replace the sky. I think maybe an additional black and white edit would be good. With your permission, I would have a go at it if you posted an unedited jpg.

It looks a little over sharpened to me, the poles and flowers look kinda HDR. Just my opinion.

George Zip wrote in post #18512115
Does she like it? Thats the main thing

Cloudy days are tough, no backlighting, everything is flat. Next time I would go for some off camera flash to give it some dimension. If you have the equipment, one behind her for some backlight, one to the side as main for the shadows, and dial down the background a bit. That's what I would do.

I personally wouldn't replace the sky. I think maybe an additional black and white edit would be good. With your permission, I would have a go at it if you posted an unedited jpg.

It looks a little over sharpened to me, the poles and flowers look kinda HDR. Just my opinion.

B&W definitely works very well for this image. I had a little go just using the low resolution image and liked what I saw. More time and/or a more talented editor would surely deliver more.

I'd be happy to post, given permission from the OP.

Yes, definitely post. I would love to see it.

OK ... quick edits no. 1 and no. 2 coming up. I think they show the potential there is here but I'm not arguing that they fully exploit it. No. 1 is an edit in Nik Color Efex Pro 4., aimed at adding drama. No.2 just applies one of the Siver Efex Pro 2 standard presets. But nothing fancy in either case.

They are both full of artifacts attributable to editing a low resolution original. These should be ignored for present purposes.

Personally, I think it is fine the way it is. For a bridal portrait going overboard and making the sky look unnatural could be overkill.

I think this is lovely. If it were me, I'd darken up the brick and her dress and perhaps find a way to bring out the texture in the fence.

I personally wouldn't replace the sky. Just maybe do some dodging and burning in the sky to add some drama. Other than that I think its pretty darn good!